Cannot believe another 4 year passed just like that, a chapter of my life in UTAR Setapak ended. Again I gonna repeat, I took Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical Engineering. This is an engineering degree course that last for four year.
I can still clearly remember how excited I was before I came here. I was eager to move here, leave my home for the first time, wondered how's life out there without my parents, all by myself.
UTAR building model
I regretted, after everything settled down, and I slowly realised that UTAR Setapak is a small university. Comparing with the facility in TAR college (just beside UTAR Setapak), UTAR Setapak cannot fight.
TAR college got their own swimming pool, gymnasium, football field, student hostel, two canteen, multi level library and other facility. However, the good thing is UTAR student can go to TAR college by showing UTAR ID card to TAR college security guard. So, most UTAR students uses TARC facilities which is just next to it. At my final year in UTAR, I always went to TAR college library to borrow book. I also often went to TAR college canteen to have my lunch, TAR college food is cheaper and nice (comparing with UTAR canteen food).
Before I stepped into UTAR, I was curious of how my university life will be. Some of my secondary school teacher told me that university student are free, easy (senang) and enjoying their university life. When I started mine, it is not true. Soon, I understand the university life that my secondary school teacher mentioned is only for arts student, not for science and engineering student. Its very tiring but I really enjoy myself especially I've met a group of awesome course-mate. Now I have the love-hate feeling to leave Setapak, say bye my university life. Anyway, UTAR is one of the best private universities in Malaysia.
Most of the UTAR student are Malaysian Chinese. There are also a small group of Malaysian Indian study in UTAR. In univeristy, student are encourage to speak english with their lecturer, tutor and UTAR staff. However, most of the UTAR student are speaking Mandarin or Cantonese among themselves.
Is UTAR Setapak a small university? I think it depends on how you spend your days there.
There have 8 blocks in UTAR Setapak, which are Block S, Block SA - Block SF and Block DK (Dewan Kuliah). Water dispenser everywhere and its free! UTAR is not like secondary school that student can study in the same classroom for the all day. You need take some time to travel 1 block to another for attending lecture or tutorial class. Sometimes it's quite scary if you have continuous class at different blocks.
Block S is a four storey of lecture, tutorial, study area & computer laboratory building.
--- Computer laboratory & study area is at the third floor.
--- The rest are lecture & tutorial room.
--- Remark: Most of the final examination paper are printed and kept in a small room at third floor.
Block SA
--- Remark: I always came here to deal with my lecturer, tutor and UTAR staff.
Block SB
Block SB is a three storey of library, study area & computer laboratory building.
--- Lecture & tutorial room is at ground floor ; library is at first floor ;
and computer laboratory is at second floor.
--- Almost everyday, I will study in library until late night. I seldom study at house (except examination period) due to my house is a good environment for rest and sleep.
Block SC
Block SC is a two storey of canteen & student amenities building.
--- Canteen is at ground floor ; and Department of Student Affair (DSA) is at first floor.
--- Remark: UTAR canteen food is not nice and expensive. I didn't said canteen food is terrible and horrible, but until third year in UTAR, I really cannot tahan (stand) the canteen food. So, after year 3, I quite often went to TBR (Taman Bunga Raya) or TAR college for having lunch instead of eating in UTAR canteen.
Block SD
Block SD is a two blocks of three storey of lecture, tutorial and laboratory building.
--- Laboratory is at ground & first floor ; lecture & tutorial room is at second floor.
Block SE
Block SE is a two blocks of three storey of lecture, tutorial, computer and laboratory building.
--- Engineering laboratory is at ground floor ; lecture & tutorial room is at first floor ;
and computer laboratory is at second floor.
Block SF
Block SF is a two storey of laboratory engineering workshop.--- Engineering workshop is at ground floor ; and engineering laboratory is at first floor.
Block DK
--- DK 1, DK 2A & DK 2B at ground floor.
--- DK 3, DK 4A & DK 4B at first floor.
--- All six are huge lecture halls.
--- Remark: All the computer in lecture hall got virus, even famous anti-virus also cannot detect and kill it. So, don't simply plug your thumb drive to computer. Unless you are the expect of killing computer virus as good as I.
I finally get to fully make used of my Jacket in UTAR. It's very cool and freezing inside lecture hall and tutorial room.
UTAR don't have hostel. So, UTAR student have to looking for their own house themselves.
There are 4 parts of housing areas that UTAR student are staying, which are Taman Bunga Raya (TBR), Taman Melati, Wangsa Maju and Jalan Genting Klang area. Just a tip from me, according to my experience, it's better to come early before the start of new semester. Take a trip down to Setapak and you can find lots of house owners' numbers on the wall or banner hanging outside the houses, jot them down and contact them!
Taman Bunga Raya (TBR) is closer to UTAR and TAR college, within 5 minutes walking distance. The rental here are way cheaper, but the room need to share with other student.
The advantage of staying in TBR is not need to wake up early, and can save the cost of transportation fees to UTAR, since it is quite near to university.
The disadvantage of staying TBR is there got many case that student get robbed in TBR. Some get wounded until went to hospital for medical treatment. So, have to be careful if staying there!
For Taman Melati, student usually stayed in condominium. They come to university either by taxi or UTAR bus. McDonalds & LRT station is located in Taman Melati. Food in this area is limited, so get ready to have your food in McDonalds everyday, hahaha...... Very less choice of foods available here and it's very quite at night. Another thing that you need to know is to be careful at night, especially LRT station area! Definitely won't recommend you to stay here if you don't have car or motor.
For Wangsa Maju, it is near to another popular LRT station and Jusco. Student usually come to university either by UTAR bus or public bus (such as rapid KL bus or Metro bus no. 49 & 191). At night, student got to pay extra attention especially outside LRT station area, there are darker and danger! Yes, you have Jusco right outside your house, but it's impossible that you have your meal everyday in Jusco right?
I rented a unit in Prima Setapak Low Cost Flat at Jalan Genting Klang area. In the unit got two medium room, a very long hall, small kitchen and a small toilet c/w bathroom. My unit is at second floor, room no 14. Monthly rental is RM 450 to RM 500, and the rental is sharing between my housemate and me. At the ground floor got laundry, I always send my shirt, pant, bed sheet, underwear and sock to down there for washing. This laundry is operated by an old lady and she charged me RM 2 per kg (including iron all my wearing). But for the pillow case and bed sheet is extra charged. Nothing much to complain about the unit except no internet connection, no fridge and no hot water for shower. However, the advantage of staying here is that the flat is near to the market, shop, stationery store and hawker center. I stayed at Prima Setapak Low Cost Flat throughout the four year there. Let me make this clear, the main reason I agreed to take this unit is because: firstly is cheaper; secondly is I can have my own room without sharing with other people; lastly is because I have someone I know beside my room. People always says “在家靠父母，出外靠朋友”. My parent wanted me to have someone I know in the same house. Once I found out that Tan Ling Tek coming to study in UTAR too. I immediately ask him to be my housemate for staying together. Beside that, most of the students will be staying at this area and it is easier for you to meet them for assignment or study group.
Hungry at midnight? supper? There are a lots of Mamak stall that open for 24 hours. Stayed up late once with my gang to watch World Cup football.
In Jalan Genting Klang area, most student took public bus (rapid KL bus or Metro bus no. 49 or 191) to UTAR or TAR college. Beside public bus, there are cars, motorbike or you can take UTAR bus too. For those with cars or motorbikes, you will need UTAR sticker in order to park in university. For motorbike, it is very easy to get UTAR motorbike sticker from DSA. However, for car, you need to ballot for the UTAR car stickers. Good luck in getting it! (Most of my coursemate are unlucky!).
UTAR bus cost RM0.70 per trip and you can buy the UTAR bus ticket from the Department of Finance at first floor of Block SA building. You can find the schedule on UTAR website, UTAR bus driver are quite on time following the bus schedule. The UTAR bus schedule is arranging by every one hour per trip.
How to go to UTAR Setapak?
Let we start from KL Sentral,
first took LRT to Wangsa Maju,
after reach to Wangsa Maju, walk across the bridge to the opposite of LRT station,
took public bus (Metro bus no. 49 or 191), the bus fare is RM 1,
the bus will pass through Taman Bunga Raya (TBR),
UTAR and TAR college are side by side,
when you saw UTAR small sigh board at the bus right hand side, straight away come down from bus,
then walk into the border road between TAR college and UTAR ,
(the road is toward TAR college hostel direction)
TAR college is at your left hand side; while UTAR is at your right hand side.
First year, first semester, less than half of student from my batch didn't continue study due to going to IPTA to proceed their degree. For your information, UTAR offer the cheaper tuition fees among IPTS. However, tuition fees for IPTA is much more cheaper than IPTS due to government sponsor. IPTA facility is also much more better, if comparing with UTAR.
One of the entry requirement for study in the first year of university is either by using the result of STPM, UEC, UTAR foundation or A level. Most of the student of my batch is using either from STPM result or UTAR foundation result to study in UTAR. I study Mechanical Engineering course in UTAR. UTAR divide the student into four group, which are Group 1 to Group 4. Each group have no more than 30 students. I am from Group 1, at the mean time I also is the Group 1 class representative (class rep). Most of my course-mate usually call me as 'Dailou'. Five students of my group are from Chinese independent school. In Group 1, only one student is using A level result to enter UTAR. In my group, student is come from KL, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Perak, Penang, and Sabah. Our course representative (course rep) are from Pahang, he is in Group 2.
First year, second semester, some of the student can not make it at the end of semester due to poor result.
Second year, first semester, TAR college diploma graduate student switch to study together with us. They are exempted for first year in UTAR and start directly at second year. But they are not ready to get used in university life. In TAR college, most of them are involving in practical. However, the university study environment here is more toward to theory, comparing with practical.
Third year, second short semester, all student got to undergo industrial training outside UTAR campus, to gain working experience for three full month, starting from the beginning month of October to the end of December. After industrial training, we all have to submit an industrial training report to university.
Fourth year and also the final year, student start to do their own final year project (FYP). They also start choosing subject for study. Before we graduate, we all got to submit the final year project (FYP) report and do the presentation.
Gently reminder: don't forget to bring a few formal clothes before you come to UTAR. You will definitely need it for presentation, especially for Engineering students.
Students also need entertainment, ok!
If you have a chance, drop by KLCC to visit sky bridge and aquarium.
Student ID card is very useful, especially getting student price for watching movie or visiting somewhere such as KLCC aquarium, theme park, etc.
You can also go around KL or PJ areas such as national mosque, KL tower, Pasar Seni, Dataran Merdeka, IKANO and other places. Sometimes, we also go to Genting Highland by taking bus from Gombak LRT station.
My housemate, Tan Ling Tek!
He is my housemate, a.k.a (also known as) my high school mate from same home town. Anyway, I am really grateful to have you staying beside me and accompany me for the pass four years in KL. Thanks for respecting me and do the housework together. Thanks for teaching me the computer knowledge like killing virus in thumb drive, downloading files from website and others. Thanks Thanks Thanks....
awesome course mates!
I would like to express my deep gratitude to have them in my university life! I've made few blogspot for you guys before and later. Whatever is it, thank for going through with me! Please be notice that Dailou will always remember you :D. Without you all, I will be dead here in UTAR :O
Finally finish off this long long post! I took few days to prepare this post! Now, I need to move forward to my another chapter of my life at my hometown. Looking forward to start off my career. Thanks
Reference: www.c-a-m-y.com/2013/05
